Gotham Knights is set to come out in just a few short months, and tons of people can't wait to get their hands on the game! One of the big things in the game is the fact that Batman is dead. This apparently isn't a trick or fake out, the Dark Knight will not be in Gotham Knights in any capacity. WB Games Montreal spoke recently about why exactly Batman couldn't appear in the game - at all!
As mentioned above, Batman is really dead. This isn't a trick to try and get you to buy the game, the Dark Knight is no more. Joker won't be in the game either, for the record - though Harley Quinn might! There's even going to be a prequel comic book exploring Batman's final case in the Gotham Knights universe!
As for the reason big bad Batman couldn't appear in the game it's quite simple, really. He's too big, all the attention would have immediately shifted to him. Not to mention all the people wondering when and if they'd finally get to be Batman.
Fleur Marty, executive producer of Gotham Knights said “It simply wouldn’t have made it easier to have Batman present at all, actually, because anywhere he is, he just takes up all of the space, he takes all of the air out of the room, and so it was so much more interesting to start afresh without him,” when speaking with GamesRadar.
“I think [Batman’s absence] really drives these characters. If Batman were here, I think this is how he’d handle it’. But they don’t have him, and so they have to figure out how to do it their own way and that’s where a lot of their interest and drive lies.” Ceri Young added, the lead writer on Gotham Knights.
It makes sense if you ask me. It's so much easier to just not have Batman around, then it really is impossible to play as him. Well, I guess I shouldn't say impossible, since in comic books anything is possible. But it certainly makes it less likely. Hell, it might even make it a better game, it gives a driving purpose for the remaining characters. I'm really excited to see how they handle Batman's death - and taking over as defenders of Gotham.
Gotham Knights is releasing on October 25th for the PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Previous gen versions of the game have been cancelled.
